Under the Banner of Heaven Season 1 Episode 3 Surrender

Under the Banner of Heaven is a true crime docuseries that explores the 1984 murder of Brenda Lafferty and her baby daughter Erica by her brothers-in-law, Ron and Dan Lafferty, who believed they were carrying out a divine revelation from God.

In season 1 episode 3, titled “Surrender,” the focus is on the aftermath of the brutal murders and the investigation that followed. The episode begins with a look at how the Lafferty brothers went on the run after the murders, fleeing to Missoula, Montana. From there, they headed to Provo, Utah, where they were ultimately captured by police.

The episode also explores the impact of the murders on Brenda Lafferty’s husband, Allen, and their surviving daughter, Shannon. Allen struggled with guilt over not being able to protect his family and the fact that he had introduced his brothers to the extremist ideas that fueled their violence. Shannon, who was only 15 months old at the time of the murders, grew up without her mother and sister, and still bears the emotional scars of that trauma.

As the investigation into the Lafferty brothers’ motives and actions continued, law enforcement officials began to unravel the twisted belief system that fueled their violence. The brothers were part of a small fundamentalist group known as the School of the Prophets, which believed in polygamy, blood atonement, and other extreme principles that were rejected by the mainstream Mormon church. The group’s leader, Ervil LeBaron, had called for the deaths of his rivals and enemies, including Brenda Lafferty and her family.

The episode also introduces another key figure in the case, Utah prosecutor David Biggs. Biggs worked tirelessly to build a case against the Lafferty brothers, but was hampered by the intricacies of Utah’s legal system and the reluctance of some witnesses to testify. However, Biggs persevered, and ultimately secured two convictions against the brothers.

As the episode comes to a close, viewers are left with a sense of the tragic consequences of extremist beliefs and the danger they can pose to innocent people. The Lafferty brothers’ crimes were not only a brutal betrayal of family ties, but also a stark reminder of the dangers of blindly following religious fanaticism. “Surrender” is a haunting exploration of a dark chapter in Utah’s history, and a stark warning about the dangers of extremist ideology.